Device for the discharge of liquids from receptacles



R. NlccoLAl 2,606,326

DEVICE EoR THE DISCHARGE 0E LIQUIDS FROM REcEPTAcEEs Aug. l2, 1952 Filed April ll, 1950 lli Patented Aug. 12, 1952 DEVICE-FOR THE DISCHARGE OFLIQUIDS FROM RECEPTACLES c Ruggero Niccolai, Rome, Italy A'Application Apr-il 11, 1950, Serial AN0.-155,I48 In Italy April 21, 1949 14 comme (ci. i-43)' l Theq invention refers to improvements in a device for discharging; liquid from receptacles controlled. by hydrostatic traps. l

They device in accordance -Withvthe present invention comprisesa chamber divided internally c into,.two/compartmentsseparated,from each other by ank intermediate partition having openings for communication between the two compartmentszvone-of which compartments contains a double siphon duct lthe inlet of which communicates with a reservoir of liquid While the voutlet is connected to the discharge pipe of the system; theA priming of the said Siphon being eiected by destroying the hydrostatic equilibrium of the liquid in the other compartment of the said chamber.; the whole. forming a hydrostatic seal scriptive specification and. accompanying drawings. e

A knownmodefoi .operation has been described, of. an 'arrangement controlling the discharge fromA such siphons by means of` sucha hydrostatic trap, in particular applicable to'the siphons of water-closet systems: the corresponding arrangementior controlling thefoutflow from such systems having the form of a box or .receptacle having an inlet-orifice communicating with the tank or cistern ofthe system andan outlet orice connectedA to;r the corresponding discharge pipe;

SuchV inlet-and such outlet being interconnected within the.` aforesaid box or receptacle by means of a duct having the `*form oi` a double Siphon. The priming' of. suol-1;. double. .Siphon `in, order to enable. the release of liquid from the cistern is insuch case controlled and effected by destroying the hydrostatic equilibrium in the system, by means o f a device termed a #hydrostatic trap; such .hydrostatic trapand such-double Siphon intercommunicating by means of apertures or ports in lanAintern'iediate-partition- In. theI arrangement nowu being discussed, the destruction of. the. hydrostaticv equilibrium within the hydrostatic trap is producedbylowering the air pressure therein bythe operation of a special lever. Owing to` this-'destruction of. the: hydrostatic equilibrium, the. l .effectivev head.Y of the liquid in the hydrostatic trap ylisi reduced, thus allowing lthe air to escape entirely yfrom thedouble. Siphon throughV one of the openings in the .c 2 intermediate partition, as a result ofV which the aforesaid Siphon Abecomes primed, and vthe liquid contained in the closet cistern is completely evacuatecl.V l

-On completion oi such evacuation, the double Siphon is unprimed by adir'iitting air through an airhole in one wall ofthe Siphon, situated at a level above that of the-f intake ofv liquid to the said double Siphon; thisai'rholebeing of special form and design, enables thev unpriming of' the Siphon to proceed silently, the consequent admission of lair from outside the Siphon thus immediately restoring. the internal atmospheric equilibrium after termination ofthe outflow of liquid insuch manner that .the level of theliquid in the aforesaid hydrostatic trap ijs s ucientfor the furtherY operation or action thereof. The same admission of air to 4thedouble Siphon, nally, en- `su'res,tlfijation termination of the outflow of liquid from the' cistern, practically the Whole of `rlthe liquid retained in the bottom of they double Siphon i'sl-ikew'ise evacuated. g However, Vpractical operation of an arrangement and a' device in accordance with the abovesaid, has `disclosed the -following defects:

(l)-A AI-f pipes 'ofusual type are used for delivering the Vliquid to the c is'tern,rthe first evacuation of the cistern after complete assembly of lthe arrangement must `be initiated by charging 'the cistern with liquid, by means of a pail or the like,

with the object otlling the hydrostatic trap in readiness vf or l first: evacuation.

(2) Partial obstruction of the cistern discharge pipe may cause an insuicient supply of liquid to the hydrostatic trapand, consequently, a delay inthe rfa-establishment of the necessary atmospheric equilibrium in the system.

('3) Onftermination of the.. outilo-w, the liquid remining at' thebot'tomv of the double Siphon may vhavea levelrhigherthan the head in the hydrostatic trap, thus causing an escape or Vair from the double Siphon before they liquid in the .cistern has Y attained theA required. working level.

Intl-le jpresence ofthe 'defects mentioned, subs. (2')v 4and 1(3) :above, `the liquid flowing'into. the closet cistern `will not. meet with the appropriate and necessary resistance vin the hydrostatic trap and on leaving the4 said cistern will discharge through the doublefsip-hon without attaining the required Working level in. the cisterne (4)' Since the unpriming of the double Siphon takes place at a level appreciably higher than the level of thel'intake of liquidV to the double sint-ion, the discharge; of the `liquid contained in the lever is released and allowed to return to its initial position.

(6) The cistern frequently discharges automatically, in view of the very narrow limits between Which the closing of the watersupply to the cistern by the standard form of ball-cock can be regulated. Since this adjustment may vary owing to progressive adjustment of the closing elements, the liquid entering the cistern may attain such a highlevel that the equilibrium established by the head of water in the hydrostatic trap is destroyed.

The object of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangement incorporating a double siphon and a hydrostatic trap, eliminating the above-mentioned4 disadvantages. In particular, defect (1)v iseliminated .by retarding the water feed to the hydrostatictrap; in the earlier arrangement water is admitted at the same time as the discharge, whereas according to the invention, water is admitted only after the discharge has been completed; this modification is also capable of eliminating defect (2) if the design is altered in such manner as to ensure that the hydrostatic trap always receives an excess of liquid. Furthermore, the invention enables evacuation of the excess liquid `retained in the bottom of the double siphon at therend of the discharge from the cistern, by the provision of a small, auxiliary siphon communicating at une end with the discharge pipe and at the other end with the bottom of the double siphon. Defect (4) is eliminated by dispensing with the elements for silent discharge, incorporated in the previous arrangement. In accordance with the invention, the above-mentioned air admission is effected by exposing the water intakefrom the cistern to the double siphon.

Defect (5) is eliminated according to the invention by using an operating lever capable of destroying the hydrostatic equilibrium within the hydrostatic 'trap either by' a. compression effect causing expulsionof a part of the liquid forming the effective pressure head in the trap, or by a suction effect during the return motion of the operating lever, removing from above the pressure head a quantity of air capable of causing destruction of the condition of equilibrium within the hydrostatic trap.

The elimination of the defect (6), i. e., the elimination of automatic' discharge from the cistern owing to the narrow limits of level Within which the admission of water to the cistern can be regulated, is ensured by suitable utilization of the liquid menscuses forming in the ducts or passages of the arrangement, and by increasing the diameter Vof such passages.

On the attached drawings:

Fig. l represents a vertical section through the hydrostatic" trap according to the present invenion.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the double m4, forming' part of the same arrangement,

4 such section being in a plane parallel to and behind that of the section shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a cistern of usual type, for water closets, incorporating the arrangement in accordance with the present invention.

In accordance with the manner of realization of the inventiorrdescribed and illustrated below, the discharge arrangement is constituted'by a chamber having an inlet aperture A and an outlet aperture B, communicating with the discharge or outlet pipe C. These apertures are situated in the part of the chamber acting as a double siphon, and shown in greater detail in the Fig. 2. The portion of the chamber acting as a hydrostatic trap or seal, Figs. 1 and 3, is connected to a pipe V22, controlling the discharge of the water from the tank, by an operation organ such as plunger 23 (Fig. 3).

The portion of the chamber forming the hydrostatic trap or seal, isseparated from the portion containing the double siphon, by an intermediate partition or wall in which openings' are provided, allowing communication between the two compartments only in -correspondence to desired points, as will be described presently. The hydrostatic trap comprises the ducts or passages I, 2. 3, 4. The ducts I and 2 communicate through an aperture 5 (Fig. 3)"fwith the upper part of the pipes 6 and 1 of'thedouble' siphon (Fig. 2), while the pipes 3 and 4 communicate through an aperture 8 (Fig.'3 with the upper part of the pipes 9 and I0 (Fig. 2), of the double siphon. Furthermore, the pipe I communicates through the orifice II, withthe pipe 6, of the double siphon, at a point I2 slightly lower than the summit I3 of the peak between the pipe 6 and the pipe 1, of the double siphon (Fig. 2). Consequently, the greatest effective fhead capable of being formed within thehydrostatictrap, is the difference of levelbetween the points Hand I5 (Fig. 1).

A small siphon formed by the pipes I6 and I1 is contained-inl the pipe I of the hydrostatic trap, its tube I1 communicating with a second small pipe I8 and further, through an aperture I9, with the tube I 0 of the double siphon (Fig. 3). Furthermore, the small siphon communicates with the operating plunger 23 by means of a pipe 20, a union nut 2I, and a duct 22.

During the first iillin'g of the cistern 36 after the arrangement has been assembled, the liquid rises in the pipe 6 of the double siphon, maintaining a constant level Yin the cistern, while, simultaneously,V air can escape freely through the pipes 1, 9 and I Il of the double siphon, these pipes being empty, o1' being emptied after each discharge from the cistern, as'will be presently explained. Whenthe liquid in the pipe 6 attains the level I2 (Fig. 1) it flows into the tube I of the hydrostatic trap through the aperture II, and consequently, also lls the pipes 2, 3, 4 of the said hydrostatic rap.

The liquid 'rising in the pipe 6 overflows into the pipe Tabove the level I3 and, upon reaching the level 24, closes the exitvo'f air i'rom the aforesaid pipe 1, thus preventing it fromreaching the escape aperture'B throughthe pipes 9 and I0. Subsequently, the level of the water in the cistern 3s rises relatively to the level er the weterin the pipe 6 of the double siphon, when the liquid column between these two levels will be balanced'by the comme er 1iquid 1n the pipe s.

In the hydrostatic trap, on the other hand,

'equilibrium is maintained bythe column of liq.-

uid formed between the water level in the pipes :aecomo A I and 2, andlth'ewater;levelin.theupipesiiandk In these latteripipes the A'water level risesaonac.-

count of the pressureof 'the.air..containedin. the

upperA part-ofA thepipes 6 and 1 of'the. double siphon, which pressure' is'.transmittedalso'to.the pipes land-2 of' the hydrostatictrapthrough the aperture 5.

The maximum' value .of .this head ofwater. between thelevels I4 and I5 .of thexhydrostatic trap, is slightly greaterithan 'the value ofxzthe pressure headv forming inthe .cistern 36' above the level of.. the waterV in 1 the pipe; 61. ,oitheafdouble siphon, vwhen .the liquid. has reachedzla suciently high Av'level for discharge into :theaaforesaid- .cis-L tern.

However, itmay happen that, while the :water level rises in 'the-pipes'and 4 of thelhydrostatic trap, itrlses alsoin .the pipe vI 6,:passing thence into the pipe I1 wherrit has :risen .beyond-.the level25. Intsuchcase, .the small lsiphoniorrned by the '.pipesll and. lz'l'isprimed, and operates to withdraw completely the water contained. inthe spacer formed bythe widerl portion at. the .top of the pipe 4, since. the outilow ofv water from the pipe 6 through' the aperture .II .isyequal to the discharge Afrom thesmall siphon.

In these conditions, the :maximum value of the head formed in the pipes 3 and 4 of the hydrostatic trap is no longer equal to the hea-d between the levels I4 and I5, but'is balanced by the columnof liquid between .the'levels I4 and 26.. Consequently, the. hydrostatic trap operates automatically as soon as the Ycolumn ofliquid between the water levelsiin the cistern 3.6 andthe pipe B of the double siphon respectively, exceeds this value, which is much lower, in regard to the corresponding head, Ythan the value attained when' the vwater .in cistern 35 isat the normal level, but is still suilicient to causethecistern to discharge.

During successive iillings of the cistern' 36 (since, at the instant of unprimingthe pipes I6 and I1 of the small, controllingv siphon, and therefore also the pipe 20, retain a certain quantity of water nearlyreaching the level 21 lin the pipe I8), when the liquid rises in the pipe 4 of the hydrostatic trap until it reaches the level 28 and also tends to rise in the pipe I6., the air contained Ain the pipes I6 and I1 can no longer escape through the aperture I9 and consequently, in the measure and totheextent that the level of the liquid rises in the pipe l5, a pressure head forms between the water levels in the pipes I1 and I8, this head being capable of balancing the head formed lbetweenthe levelin the pipe 4 of the hydrostatic trap and the level in the pipe I6 of the smallsiphon.

When the liquid has reached its ordinary level in the cistern, thearrangement in accordance with the present invention will be in the following; condition: in the double dischargefsiphon, the pipe 6 is filled withfwater up to the level I2, the pipe 1 is empty to a level slightly beyond 24, and the pipe 9 is lled with liquid nearly to the level 35; in the hydrostatic trap, the pipes I and 2 are filled with water to a level exceeding by a few millimetres the level I4, while in the pipes 3 and 4 the liquid reaches the level I5; in the small controlling Siphon I6, I1 the pipe I6 is filled with water nearly to 25, while the pipe I1 is completely empty; the pipe I8 is filled with water up to the level 21.

From the abovesaid, it is evident that the head of liquid in the cistern 36 above the water level in the pipe 6 is balanced in the double discharge :irntthe hydros'tatici-trap, :by :theucolumn ctn-liquid betweengthe-levcl's'al 4'-V andfIS; .In vthe.srnallfsiphon lid-7711;, von theircontrary;v theiacolumn-olqud :he:- tween. I.5 andi .25, fis'fbalancedA by the; column of .liquidbetween'ZfI:andZSL i Iny the; conditions. indicated above, if. a. .slight airfpressureais applied in. then "pipe 20 by: theaaction of the operating lever and plunger, a part of. .the liquid. .intheftube I8 will-.be lforced throughl thefaperture: 15.9,- thus reducing-the.- value of tlregheadiof.- liquid.v betweenl'l and. .29., and causing the; .priming Aof. :the fsmall siphon IzBH consequently, the liquid/contained in the ,pipe 4 ofjthev hydrostaticl trap' will discharge through the .a-per.tureaI.9,` the pipe-Sill offthe doubleisipho-n, `and :th'ezsoutflowjgpipei C. such'manner, the

.efec,.tiv.e lheadfin .the-.hydrostatic trap' isireduced andpsince thi-ss.head risthenno longer. sufcient to balance the pressurehead :formed in the; cis'- tern3 6., the.- hydri'istatic;v trap operates, 'with .the consequence'. that ...the air containedinthe pipe 1 .ofthe-:double .discharge Siphon is .completely ex'- pelled. throughv thefaperture. 5, the. pipes `2, 3, 4,

.and acommunicatingforiiice between the :pipe-4 offthev'hydrostatic trap,A and thejpipe :I0 ofthe double-siphon. I. .V

In` accordance with Ythe arrangement shownin Fig. .3, the actuating-elementis. formed bya small plunger vworking inv a` cylinder with a. slight .amountof :friction and returnedto its normal position by a spring as soon as theY operating button is released. During: itsforwardstroke; i. e., while the .operating button-is being pressed, the plunger compresses theairinithe'fpipe 20 through the duct 22 Vand `the union-2J, this-pressurereducing the height of the column vof liquidin-the pipe I8, since a part of this liquid is expelled through theaperturev I 9. During its return stroke, i. e., whenltis actuated by thespring, this plunger produces a suctionfeffect inthe `pipe 2.0 and consequently a part of .the air contained in the pipe II is drawn .into the. former pipe.

The discharging device in accordance-with the .invention is completed by another small siphon, consisting of thetwoy pipes and 3'I. The lower end ofV the tube 30 communicates. through the aperture 3'2 with thebottom Blof the doubledischargezsiphon between the pipes 1v and 9, while the lower end of the pipe 3| in communication withthe .lower part of the pipey .I 0 of. the-double discharge siphonY through arr aperture 33,. and is consequently also in. communication with the atmosphere through the discharge'pipe C. During operation of the varrangement thesiphon 30- 31 is' primed, but since its water level 34 is above the level 35 inthe double siphon, it can only be keptprimedby thev suction fdue tothe outflow of .liquidthroughthepipe- |10 and the yduct C. The double Siphon 6--1-9-I0 .is unprimed when the cistern .is empty, while thesmall siphon. 30-3I continues. to operate until discharge of .all the liquid. still. remaining. in the :bottom F ofY the double discharge siphon.

Obviously, the arrangement described will continue to function perfectly even if the level of the liquid in the cistern 36 rises considerably above the intended level, since in the latter case the greater head of liquid in the cistern 36, above the level in the pipe I, is no longer balanced by the head between I4 anld I5, and consequently the hydrostatic trap will act automatically without necessity for operating the control lever or button. This arrangement eliminates the danger of the water overflowing from the cistern, for in- .stance on account offracture of thefeedpipe or sticking of the valve'controlling the'feedftofthe cistern;` If anarrangement' with periodicl iiush'- ing is required, itis only necessary to .remove the elements controlling'th'e action of the hydrostatic trap, i. e., the push-button 23, the duct 22, the union 2|., and thepipes.20,7Iii,` I'I and I8, and vcontrol' the admission-of water tothe cistern 316g` 'f M i 1..-,f-

In accordance with the invention', the above arrangement' may be vradapted to` operate without the necessity forfilling the cistern 36. It is evident that, `if the push-button23 is operated during filling of the ycistern'illy'al part-'of the liquid contained inrthe.' pipes'Il and- I8 will be expelled through fthe aperture I9 vand 4the remaining` quantity of liquid willV beinsufii'cient to establishthe necessary head of water between the levels 21 and 29, i.' e., a column of liquid `suilicient t/o'balance the head between the levels I and 25. Therefore, the small siphon IIi-IT'will be primed, and remains primed until complete evacuation, through the aperture I9, of the whole quantity of liquid admitted into 'thevhydrostatic trap through the aperture II, before the liquid reaches its 'normal level in the cistern 3'6. In such mann-'er it is impossible for a head of liquid to be formed -in the hydrostatic trap', higher lthan that formed between the levels I4 and 26, and consequently, the hydrostatic trap will act automatically as intended, with ensuing priming of the double discharge siphon.

'I'he invention has'been described and illustrated in a particularform but it is obviously possible to introduce structural modications withoutinfringing on the essential character and features claimed for it. o

Iclaim: o'

1. A- device for thedischarge of liquid'from a cistern, comprising a chamber including a vertical partition dividing said chamber into a first and a second compartment, dividingwalls in said first compartment soA as to'form therein a double siphon having four connected legs, said double siphon having an inlet in saidA first leg forcemmunlcation with the cistern'into whichsaid devicev is tobeitted, and having an outlet in the fourth leg for connection to a discharge pipe, a hydrostatic trap, a small control siphon connected to said trap, said trap andv said control siphon being formed in said second compartment, said partition being provided with openings whereby the pressure head occurring in said trap can be substantially equal to thatv occurringr in said double siphon, and operative means'to prim-e i said control siphon thereby to cause a disturbance of the hydrostatic equilibrium in said second compartment in order to prime said double siphon.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1,'said inlet of said double siphon being located at the bottom of said first compartment so as to be closely above the bottom of said vcistern when said chamber is fitted into it, whereby the entire quantity of liquid 8 contained in said cistern will be discharged when said double siphon has been primed.

3.v A device as claimed in claim 1, a first one of vsaid openings in said partition being located immediately adjacent the upper end of the iirst leg of the double siphon the lower end of` which formsA said inlet, said opening being situated slightly below the summit of the Wall between the first and the second leg of said doublejsphon, thereby to insure, when the devlce'is entirely empty, complete filling of said trap and establishing within it, during the filling of the cistern intowhich the device is fitted, a column of liquid maintaining the required hydrostatic equilibrium.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a small auxiliary siphon, ythe one end of said auxiliary siphon communicating with said third 'leg of said double siphonthrougha second one `of said openings, the other end of said auxiliary siphon communicating with said fourth leg and thus with the discharge of said double siphon through a third one of said openings, thereby to enable the removal of liquid from the bottom of said double siphonso as to insure the free exit of air from the first leg of said doublesiphon.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, one end of said lcontrol siphon being connect-ed to the end leg of said trap, the other end of said control siphon being in communication with the fourth leg 4of said double siphon through a fourth one of said openings, said fourth opening lbeing located at such a height that a column of liquid formed in said control siphon is capable of balancing the head of liquid forming in the hydrostatic trap during the filling of the cis-tern into which said device maybe fitted.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control organ including a cylinder and a plunger operative therein, a pipe connecting said cylinder to said control siphon, whereby movement of the plunger in the one direction will cause a compression of the air in said control `siphon and thus an expulsion of part of the liquid therein, and whereby return movement of the plunger will also cause priming of said control siphon and thus of the entire system owing to a suction elf-ect reducing the head in the control siphon by an intake of air.

vRUGGERO N'ICCOLAI,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '753,174 y Smith Feb. 2'3, 1904 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 192,799 Switzerland a Nov. 16, 1937 442,675 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1936 

